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JECT TO AN OVERDUE FINE AS
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!APRili7 1996
Digitized by tine Internet Archive
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LILIES AND ORCHIDS
LILIES AND
ORCHIDS
A SERIES OF DRAWINGS IN COLOR OF
SOME OF THE MORE INTERESTING AND
BEAUTIFUL SPECIES OF THESE FAMILIES
TOGETHER WITH DESCRIPTIVE TEXT
BY
ROSINA C. BOARDMAN
NEW YORK
ROBERT GRIER COOKE
INCORPORATtD
MDCDVI
Copyright, /i)of>, ty
ROBERT GRIER COOKE, Inc
RcilH-rt Giier Cooke, lucorporate,!. New York
FORI-.WORI)
In this little book 1 have endeavored to set
ff)rlh an informal sketch of three flower fami-
lies growing in the United States, cast of the
Rocky Mountains, and in Canada, together
with a few stray relatives from the Pacific
slope, illustrated by faithful color studies of
the more prominent e.\am|)les.
R. C. H.
New York,
1906
LILES AND ORCHIDS
PLATE I
WOOD ].II,V
Liliiim Philaddphkiim
LILIES
THE Family of Lilies is one of the most interesting
and one of the handsomest flower groups which
we possess. At first it was very large, for many
closely connected species were included; but it swelled to
such dimensions that the botanists were forced to sub-
divide it more and more, until now it is comparatively
small. The latest division (which every one has not yet
adopted) is the grouping of the Bellworts, Hellebore,
Blazing-Star and a few others in the Bunch-Flower
Family; the Green-Briers and their climbing relatives
in the Smilax Family; and the Asparagus, Solomon's
Seal and those similar in the Lily-of-the- Valley Family.
At present it is only with the latter and with the Lily
Family Proper that we will concern ourselves.
THE LILY FAMILY
The Lily Family Proper is made up of leafy-stemmed
herbs, growing from., bulbs or corms. The leaves are
always parallel-veined and simple. The flowers are
regular and generally perfect, having a perianth of six
even segments, sometimes connected; six stamens, with
two-celled anthers, growing from the bases of the seg-
ments; and a three-celled pistil, with a generally three-
lobed stigma, at the end of a long style. The fruit is an
oblong capsule. The seed differs according to the variety.
PLATE I
Wood Lily, Red Lily, Lilium Philadelphicum.
Root. — A bulb of fleshy scales. Stem. — Simple, i°-3°
high. Leaves. — Narrow, pointed, in whorls. Flowers.
— Large, showy, erect, 1-5, terminal, scarlet and
orange. Perianth. — Of broad segments, narrowing be-
low, purple-dotted within. Stamens (a). — Dark red.
Pistil (/)). — With a head-like stigma. Seeds. — Long,
with narrow wings.
This is one of our most showy and beautiful flowers.
It grows in dry woods and salt marshes, from Canada to
North Carolina, from June to August. I have found
very small specimens, not over 5' high, on Nantucket
Island.
a.'-g-'03
PLATE I. Reduced about H from Life Slie
Wood Lily, Lilium Pkiladeipkicum
PLATE II
WILD VKLI.OW I.II.V
Lilium Canadcnsc
Western Red Lily, L. iimbellatum, is much like
the Wood Lily, but smaller and more slender, with
linear leaves. It blooms in dry soil during June and
July, from Ohio to Northwest Territory and south to
Arkansas.
Southern Red Lily, L. Catesbaei, is much the same,
with slender, small, alternate leaves and recurved, pointed
segments. It grows in wet ground in summer, from
North Carolina to Florida.
Wild Yellow Lily, Field Lily, Canada Lily,
Liliuni Canadensc. Root. — Bulbous. Stem. — Simple,
2°-5° high, stout. Leaves. — Lanceolate, in whorls.
Flowers. — Terminal, 1-16, drooping on long recurved
stalks, bright yellow and orange, purple-dotted. Peri-
anth. — With recurved segments (not narrowing below).
Stamens (a). — Red-brown. Pistil (h). — With a three-
lobed, head-shaped stigma. Seeds. — Flat, horizontal,
numerous.
These gorgeous flowers bloom in early summer, in
fields and swamps, from Nova Scotia to Alabama and west
to the Mississippi. They might indeed be "the lilies of
the field " of the New Testament, for the glor\' of Solomon
would pale beside them. To see a field of them waving
their golden bells above the tall grasses is a sight to be
remembered. There are many such fields in the Berk-
shire Hills.
Lest we come to think that the brilliant liiia are the
only important members of this family, we will stop here
to mention four small genera.
Leucocrinum, Leucocrinum monlanum, is a low
Western herb, with long, grass-like inner leaves and
scale-like outer ones, all from the root. The flowers
are white, tube-shaped below, divided and salver-
shaped above. The anthers are coiled. It blooms in
late spring.
An-drostephium, Androstephium cocndeum, is some-
what the same, with blue flowers in an umbel, on a long
scape. The anthers are straight. It grows on prairies,
from Kansas southward, in early spring.
^
lA
♦
w
?
y
PLATB n. Reduced H from Life Sue
Canada Lily. Lilium Caiiadrnse
PLATE III
tirk's cap l.ll.V
Liliiim stiprrbum
Wild Hyacinth, Quamasia hyacinthina, is an herb,
with grass-like root-leaves and a tall scape of blue or
white, racemed flowers, with narrow, separate segments.
It grows along streams, from Pennsylvania to Alabama
and west to Minnesota, in spring.
Star-of-Bethlehem, Ornithogalum iimhcllaliim, is
somewhat the same, with flowers, white within and green
without, clustered in a corymb. The leaves have a light
midrib.
Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem, O. nutans, has nod-
ding, white, racemed flowers.
These both bloom in late spring and are Europeans
escaped from gardens.
Turk's-Cap Lily, LUium superhum. Root. — A globe-
like bulb. Stem. — Simple, stout, 3°-8° high. Leaves. —
Lanceolate, in whorls or alternate. Flowers. — Ter-
minal, 3-40, nodding on long flower-stalks, large, showy,
orange-red, purple-dotted. Perianth. — Of lanceolate
segments, strongly recurved. Stamens {a). — Burnt-
orange-red. Pistil {h). — With a head-like stigma.
Seeds. — Flat, numerous, horizontal.
This giant among flowering herbs gives to a midsummer
meadow or marsh a truly regal splendor. It is much more
beautiful than the Tiger-Lily, which it resembles, for it is
much more elegant in line and color. Authorities disagree
about the color. I have always found it red. It ranges
from Maine to North Carolina and west to Minnesota.
TiGER-LiLY, L. tigrinum, is like the Turk's-Cap, but
yellower and coarser. Its stem is stout and almost black,
with bulblets growing in the axils of the leaves. It is a
native of China and Japan, escaping from gardens in
this country and blooming in summer.
Carolina Lily, L. Carolinianum, is also like the
Turk's-Cap, with orange-red, nodding flowers and re-
curved, pointed segments. It is smaller and more slen-
der, and blooms south of Virginia in August.
Although I am not speaking of many far Western
flowers, I cannot refrain from picturing two charming
Californians, the Yosemite Tiger-Lily and the Washing-
ton Lily. ,
PLATE III Reduced aboat H from Life Slic
Turk's Cap Lily. /J/,um suptrbum
PLATE IV
YOSEMITE TIGKR-LILY
Lilium parvinn
YosEMiTE Tiger-Lily, Lilium parvum (Kellogg).
Root. — Bulbous and fibrous. Stem. — Simple, 3°-8°
high. Leaves. — Ovate, pale green, thinner than other
lilies, in whorls or alternate above. Flowers. — Small,
f'-i' long, several-flowered, on long, undulating flower-
stalks, scarlet and orange, purple-dotted. Perianth. —
Of oval segments, slightly recurved. Stamens ((7). —
Dark red. Pistil (b). — With a hcad-hke stigma.
Seeds.— Flat.
The small, gem-like flowers of this beautiful little lily,
waving on their long stalks, are particularly attractive.
I found them in early August on the upper trails of the
Yosemite Valley, growing amid tall grasses and small
shrubs.
Asa Gray's Lily, L. Grayi, seems to be rather like the
last, with larger flowers and stiff'cr leaves. It blooms in
July and August, on the peaks of Virginia and North
Carolina.
Two genera, not immediately recognisable as lilies,
follow :
Grape-Hyacinth, Muscari botryoides, is an herb
with long, grass-like leaves from the root, and a short,
thick raceme of very small, blue, slightly fragrant flowers.
The flowers have a globular, one-pieced perianth, with
six small teeth. The clusters much resemble a bunch
of grapes, hence the name.
Starch Grape-Hyacinth, M . racemosum, is similar,
with narrower leaves and oblong, starch-scented flowers.
Both these plants are Europeans escaped from gardens,
and bloom in spring.
Star-Grass, Colic-Root, AUiris jarinosa, has a
rosette of pale, lanceolate leaves at the root and a tall
scape topped by a long raceme of small, floury-looking,
bell-shaped flowers, erect, roughish, and white, with a six-
toothed, one-pieced perianth. This plant grows east of
the Mississippi in early summer. A yellow form of it
sometimes appears South.
Yellow Colic-Root, .4. aurea, is similar. It has
shorter leaves and shorter yellow flowers. It blooms
south from New York in early summer.
^-> -s- "^jy.
PLATE IV. Kedacnl about y^ from Lire Stif
Yosemite Tiger Lily. Lilium parvum
PLATE V
WASIII.NdTON I.II.V
Li/ill III Washiiij^loiiiaiia
Washington Lily, Lilium Washingtoniana. Root.
— As other lilies. Stem. — Simple, 4°-8° high. Leaves.
— Small, in whorls or alternate above. Flowers. — Large,
in a terminal cluster, white, finely dotted with purple and
pink. Perianth. — Of narrowly oblong, blunt segments,
somewhat recurved. Stamens {a). Pistil (/)). — With a
head-like stigma.
These charming white flowers on their tall, stiff stems
are as much more delicate than the Bermuda lilies as the
Turk's-Caps are than the Tiger-Lilies. I found them
growing in the primeval forests of the Mariposa, in Cali-
fornia, in July.
Day-Lily, Hermerocallis jiilva, together with the
Yellow Day-Lily, H. flava, are summer foreigners es-
caped from our gardens. They have large, grass-like,
channelled root-leaves and tawny-orange or yellow
flowers, growing several on a scape.
The Garlics or Onions also belong to the Lily
Family. They all have round or oval, odorous bulbs,
root-leaves, and small, separate-segmented flowers grow-
ing at the summit of a scape in a many-flowered umbel.
Beneath are 2-3 membranous bracts. They are not at-
tractive plants.
Wild Leek, Allium Iricoccuiii, has elliptic, early fading
leaves and white flowers. It blooms in early summer, east
of the Mississippi and north of North Carolina.
Chives, A. Schoenoprasum, is a Northern variety, with
hollow, linear leaves and pink flowers.
Nodding Wild Onion, A . ccrnuum, has nodding, white,
rose or purple flowers and flat, channelled, linear leaves.
It ranges over most of the United States and Canada.
Prairie Wild Onion, A . stellatum, is much the same,
with rose-colored, erect flowers. It blooms in summer, on
the Western plains.
Wild Garlic, Field Garlic, Crow Garlic, A.
vineale, is a troublesome weed from Europe, naturalized
in the Middle States. It has hollow leaves and purple
and green flowers, sometimes replaced by bulblets, tipped
with a long hair-hke appendage.
S
/^
PLATB V. Redacod abont !, from Life Site
WashiDgton Lily, Lilium Washinj^loniana
PLATE VI
YKLLOW .\I)I)I;r"s TOXC.rE
Erythronium A mcricanum
Meadow Gaelic, A. Canadense, is similar, with white
or pink flowers and a fibrous bulb, as have those follow-
ing. This blooms east of the Mississippi.
Wild Onion, .4. mutabi/e, has flat, hnear leaves and
white or pink flowers without bulblets. It grows South
and West in early summer.
Nuttall's Wild Onion, A . NuttaUii, has very narrow,
short leaves and white or rose flowers. It grows in spring,
on the Western prairies.
Fraser's Wild Onion, A. re/iculatum, is similar. It
blooms in summer, west of the Mississippi.
Yellow False Garlic, Nothoscordum bivalve, is much
like the Alliums, but lacks their scent, and has yellow
flowers. It blooms South and West in early spring and
summer.
PLATE VI
Yellow Adder's-Tongue, Dog's-Tooth Violet,
Erythronium Americannm. Root. — A corm. Stem. —
Simple, 6'-i° high. Leaves. — Oblanceolate, smooth,
generally mottled with brown, 2, opposite, or i on the
flowerless plants. Flowers. — Large, solitary, terminal,
pale yellow, rarely purplish or white, dotted. Perianth.
— Of linear, slightly recurved segments. Stamens {a).
Pistil {b). — With a three-lobed stigma.
This dainty little lily, with its drooping flower and
mottled leaves, carpets acres of moist woodland, from
Nova Scotia to Florida and west to Arkansas, from March
to May. The name Dog's-Tooth Violet is particularly
inappropriate.
White Adder's-Tongue, E. albidum, is similar, with
white, bluish or purplish flowers. It flourishes west of the
Mississippi, but is not common East.
Midland Adder's-Tongue, E. mesachoreum, grows
with the last. It has narrower leaves, not mottled, and
lavender flowers.
Minnesota Adder's-Tongue, E. propullans, blooms
in May. It has smaller pink blossoms and slightly mot-
tled leaves.
Purple Fritillaria, Fritillaria alropitrpurea, is a
lily with alternate, linear leaves and bell-shaped, nodding,
6
PLATE VI. Life Sii«
Yellow Adder's Tongue. Erythronium Americanum
PLATE VII
A
NUTTAI.I.'S MARIPOSA I.II.Y
Calocho his Niillallii
B
GrNNISOX's MARIPOSA LILY
Calochorlus Guiuiisoni
purple or purplish-green flowers with separate segments.
It blooms in early summer, from North Dakota and
Wyoming westward.
PLATE VII, A
Nuttall's Mariposa Lily, Calochortus NuitallU.
Root. — A corm. Stem. — Branched, slender, 3'-i5' high.
Leaves. — Grass-like, alternate. Flowers. — Large,
showy, white. Perianth. — The three outer segments (or
sepals) are lanceolate, greenish-white; the three inner
(or petals) are rather wedge-shaped and recurved, white
or lavender, with a yellowish base, above which is a
purple spot. Stamens (<). — Arrow-shaped. Pistil id).
— With a thrce-lobed stigma.
So graceful and ethereal is this fair flower, swaying
on its slender stalk among the tall grasses, that it seems
almost unearthly. It blooms from South Dakota west
to California, from June to August.
plate VII, B
Gunnison's Mariposa Lily, C. Gunnisoni. Root. —
A corm. Stem. — Often simple, as above. Leaves. — As
above, with incurved edges. Flowers. — Large, showy,
white. Perianth. — The sepals as above, the ]jetals white
or lavender, with a purple band across the centre within,
yellowish and hairy below. Stamens (a). — With oval
anthers. Pistil {h). — With a three-lobed stigma.
This plant is much like its Mariposa sister. It grows
as far south as New Mexico and blooms in midsummer,
as does the other. I found it in a meadow in the Canyon
of the Grand, near Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
Another Western genus is the Yucca, which has hollow,
spike-like leaves, with fibrous threads hanging from their
margins. The flowers are large, creamy-white, have
separate segments, and droop from a tall, dense, terminal
cluster. They bloom in spring and early summer.
Spanish Bayonet, Yucca baccata, is the largest. It
is sometimes 8° high. Its flowers are very large and its
fruit edible.
I
/
- t
U~7''o1.
PLATE Vll. Reduced about S from Life Sue
A. Xuttall's Mariposa Lily, Calochortiis iSuttallii
B. Gunnison's Mariposa Lily. Calochurtus Gunnisoni
PLATE VIII
YKLLOW C'LINTONIA
C/iiiloiiia borcalis
Bear-Grass, Y. glauca, is smaller and much shorter.
These plants both grow on the dry Western prairies.
Adam's Needle, Y. filamenlosa, has lanceolate, flat
leaves. It is cultivated, and has escaped in places. It
grows wild in Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee.
LILIES-OF-THE- VALLEY
THE Lily-of-the- Valley Family grows from root-
stocks, never from bulbs or corms. The leaves are
simple, parallel-veined and broad, except in the
Asparagus and its allies, where they are reduced to short,
thread-like scales with tiny branchlets in the axils. The
flowers grow in racemes, umbels, panicles or are soHtary ;
they are regular and perfect. The perianth is either
divided into four to six segments, or is in one piece, with
six lobes or teeth. The stamens grow from the perianth.
The pistil has a two to three-celled ovary, and a style
with a generally three-lobed stigma. Tlae fruit is a
fleshy berry with few or numerous seeds.
Several members of this group so much resemble the
Lily Family Proper, that at first sight it is difficult to
distinguish them.
plate VIII
Yellow Clintonia, Clmtonia borealis. Root. — A
slender rootstock. Stem. — A simple scape, 6'-i5' high.
Leaves. — Large, 2-5, oval, smooth. Flowers. — Lily-
like, 3-6 in an umbel, drooping, greenisli yellow. Peri-
anth. — Of six recurved segments. Stamens [a). — Six.
Pistil {b). — With a two-celled ovary. Fruit. — A bright-
blue berry.
The pale-yellow bells and bright leaves of the Clintonia
decorate many moist woodlands, from Newfoundland
south to North Carolina and west to Minnesota, during
May and June. Sometimes a flower is borne on the scape,
below the umbel.
White Clintonia, C. umbcllulala, is rather tafler
V
PLATE VIII. Reduced abont H (roo Life Size
Yellow CliotoDia, Clintonia borealis
and woolly, with smaller, white, purple-dotted, erect,
odorous flowers, a small leaf on the scape, and black,
round berries. It ranges from New York to Georgia in
May and June.
Asparagus, Asparagus officinalis, is a native of Europe,
escaped from cultivation in various parts of the country.
The young shoots make the delicious vegetable, which
we all know. The small, thread-like leaves of the plant
do not look like the lily tribe, but the bell-like, drooping,
greenish flowers, with their six small segments, point the
way. The fruit is a scarlet berry. The plant blooms
in early summer and again in autumn.
PLATE IX, A
False Solomon's Seal, Wild Spikenard, Vagnera
racemosa {Smilacina raccmosa). Root. — A thick, scarred
rootstock. Stem. — Curved, simple, i°-3° high. Leaves.
— Oval, sessile, alternate, finely woolly. Flowers (a). —
In a densely flowered, terminal panicle, small, creamy-
white. Perianth. — Of six oblong segments. Stamens
(6).— Six. Pistil (<-).— White. Fruit.— A red berry
speckled with purple.
These feathery tassels of creamy flowers grow pro-
fusely, from May to July in rich woods or thickets, across
the continent.
V. amplexicaulis is similar, with clasping leaves and a
longer style. It grows westward.
PLATE IX, B
Star-Flowered Solomon's Seal, V. stellata. Root.
— A stout, fleshy rootstock. Stem. — Stout, erect, 8'-2o'
high. Leaves. — Veiny, sessile, somewhat clasping,
oblong-lanceolate. Flowers (d). — In a few-flowered,
terminal raceme, star-shaped, larger than V. racemosa,
white. Perianth. — Of six oblong segments. Sta-
mens fc).— Six. Pistil (/).— White. Fruit.— A black or
green Ijcrry with six black stripes.
This plant is stouter and less graceful than its sister,
V. racemosa, but its star-like flowers are more attractive.
"I.ATK IX. Radaced about ^ from LHe Slie
v. False Solomoo's SeaJ, Vagnera ractmota
B. SUr-flowered Solomon's Seal, Vagntra stellata
PLATE X
Solomon's seal
Po/yi^oiialiim hijJonim
It has much the same range as the other, Ijut it blooms
in moist soil.
Unifolium lUiacetim may be a distinct species. It is
similar and has conspicuousl}' folded leaves, and ranges
west from the Black Hills.
Three-Leaved Solomon's Seal, Vagnera iri^oUa, is
smooth, small and slender, with 2-4 leaves and a few-
flowered raceme of larger white flowers. It ranges from
Newfoundland, south to Pennsylvania and west to Michi-
gan, in bogs and wet woods.
These plants all flower in May or June.
Solomon's Seal, Polygonalum biflorum. Root. — A
fleshy rootstock, with round scars from last year's growth.
Stem. — Simple, arched, 8'-3° high. Leaves. — Oval,
alternate, woolly beneath. Flowers. — Drooping, in
clusters of 1-4, from the axils of the leaves, yellowish or
greenish-white. Perianth. — In one bell-shaped piece,
six-tootiied. Stamens [a). — Six, growing on the peri-
anth. Pistil (/)). — With a head-like stigma. Fruit. —
A dark blue or black berry.
The rootstock gives the Solomon's Seal its cjuaint
name; for the round scars, left from last season's growth,
look somewhat like the imprint of a seal. This graceful
plant is found in woods from New Brunswick to Florida
and west to Michigan. It blooms in spring.
Smooth Solomon's Seal, P. commulatum {P. gigan-
teum), is similar, but smooth and generally much larger,
sometimes reaching 8° in height. The clusters have
generally more blossoms. It blooms somewhat later than
the other, in moist woods, all over the country.
Clasping-Leaved Twisted-Stalk, Streptopus am-
plexifolius, rather resembles the Solomon's Seals. It has
a twisted branching stem and alternate, clasping, oval
leaves. The flowers are bell-shaped, with separate seg-
ments, greenish- white, and droop singly or in pairs,
from the axils of the leaves. The fruit is a red berry.
It blooms in moist woods, across the continent.
Sessile-Leaved Twisted-Stalk, 5. roseus, is much
the same, save that the leaves are not clasping and the
(^^
en
O
CnJ
PLATE XI
INDIAN CUCIMBER ROOT
Medeola Virginiana
flowers arc pink. This plant ranges with its sister. They
both bloom in early summer.
Hairy Disporum, Disporum laniiginosum, resembles
the last. It is a finely hairy herb, with 1-3 terminal,
greenish, erect flowers and an oval, red berry. It grows
in the woods, through Ontario and the Eastern-coast
States, and blooms in late spring.
Rough-Fruited Disporum, D. trachycarpum, is simi-
lar, with roughish, leathery fruit and yellowish-white
flowers. It blooms from May to August across Canada
and west of the Mississippi.
False Lily-of-the- Valley, Unijolium Canadense
{Maianthemum Canadense), is a smooth little plant with
1-3 oval, alternate, shining leaves and a terminal raceme
of small, creamy- white flowers with four segments and four
stamens. It has an odor rather hke the true Lily-of-the-
Valley, but fainter. The berry is pale red and speckled.
It blooms in late spring, from Newfoundland to North
Carolina and west to South Dakota.
Convallaria majalis is the true Lily-of-the-Valley.
It has the 2-4 oblong leaves from near the root and the
scape of bell-shaped, six-lobed, white, fragrant flowers
with which we are so familiar. It grows wild on high
mountains in Virginia and the Carolinas and is com-
mon in cultivation. It blooms in May and June.
plate XI
Indian Cucumber Root, Medcola Virginiana. Root.
— A short, fleshy rootstock. Stem. — Simple, i°-2j°
high. Leaves. — Broadly lanceolate, in two whorls; the
lower at the middle of the stem and the upper at the apex
just beneath the flowers. Flowers. — In a terminal, few-
flowered umbel, on stalks which are bent for the flower
and erect for the fruit. Perianth fa). — Of six green-
ish yellow oval segments. Stamens {b). — Six, with
orange anthers. Pistil (c). — With three long recurved
reddish-brown, thread-like stigmas. Fruit. — A dark-
purple berry.
This odd-looking plant grows in moist woods from
Nova Scotia to Florida and west to Minnesota. It
blooms in early summer. Its berries are more showy
3-^^-'^"^
PLATE XI. Rednced % from Ufa Stic
Indian Cucumber Root. Med to I a Virginiana
PLATE XII
UlllTi; TKILI.U M
Trillium grandiftorum
than ils tlowcrs. The long stigmas of the latter give them
an inscct-likc appearance.
PI.ATK XII
White Trillium, Trilliniu iirandijlontm. Root. — A
short, scarred rootstock. Stem. — Simple, stout, 8'-i8'
high. Leaves. — Broadly o\ate, three in a whorl at the
centre of the stem. Flower. — Solitary, large, erect, white
or purplish-pink. Perianth. — Of three green, lanceolate
sepals and three \\hite, oblanceolate, erect, spreading
petals. Stamens (a). — Six, with anthers longer than the
fdaments. Pistil (b). — With a three-angled ovary and
three stigmatic styles. Fruit. — A round, black berry.
The large, triangular blossoms of these trilliums
brighten many acres of woodland, shining like stars
among the Bellworts and Solomon's Seals, in May or
June, cast of the Mississippi. A monstrous form of
this, with only two leaves, was found in Michigan.
Nodding Trillium, T. ccrnuiim, is similar, with a
smaller, white, nodding flower. It blooms over the same
range a little earher.
Painted Trillium, T.umlidaluni (or T.ery/lirocarpum),
is slightly larger and blooms over the same time and range
as the last. It has an erect, white flower streaked with
purple or red.
Early Trilliltm, T. nivale, is much smaller, with
petioled leaves and an erect, white flower. It appears in
early spring, from Pennsylvania to Minnesota and south
to Kentucky.
Prairie Trillium, T. reciirva/um, is a little larger, hav-
ing a sessile, erect flower, with recurved sepals and
frequently blotched leaves. It ranges south from Minne-
sota through the Middle States.
Sessile-Flowered Trillium, T. sessile, has sessile
leaves and flowers. The leaves are often blotched, and
the flowers are purple or green and fragrant. It ranges
from Pennsylvania south and west to the Mississippi.
Wake-Robin, Birth Root, T. erecttim, has a purple-
red or pink or greenish, unpleasantly scented flower on a
stalk rising above the sessile leaves. It ranges east of the
Mississippi.
'•r
^
.6
I'LATE XII. Life Site
White Trilliam, Trillium j^r^iridiflorum
PLATE XIII
coKAi. Hour
Cor all or li iza t oral lor h iza
THE ORCHIS FAMILY
THE orchids are more nearly related to the lilies
than to any other family. In fact, their roots,
stems, and leaves might often be mistaken for
that tribe. The leaves are always parallel-veined, never
compound, frequently grass-like, and are sometimes re-
duced to scales.
The form of the flower is the distinctive feature of the
orchid. The calyx and corolla are very irregular and it is
often difKicult to distinguish them. They are divided into
six segments, three sepals, and three petals. One of the
petals is called the Lip and is generally more showy than
the others. Sometimes this lip is cut or fringed, some-
times it is furnished with a spur, and often it is most
grotesque in form or color. The most characteristic thing
about the flower, however, is the Column. This is the
ovary, surmounted by the style, bearing the stigma and
the one or two anthers (or pollen sacs of the stamen)
balanced each side of the stigma, or just above or below it.
The pollen of the orchid grows in sticky masses. When
disturbed by an insect, it is removed in one piece and
deposited on the stigma of a neighboring blossom. The
ovary is long and generally twisted and the seeds are
very numerous and dust-like. The orchid is especially
adapted to cross-fertilization.
PLATE XIII
Coral Root, Corallorhiza corallorhiza. Root. —
Fleshy, coral-like. Stem. — 4'-i 2', simple. Leaves. — Re-
duced to 2-5 scales. Flowers. — Greenish or dull purple,
small, in racemes i'-3' long, 3-12 flowered. Perianth. —
Of live narrow sepals and petals and a short, whitish lip
with a short spur. Column {A). — Incurved, winged
above. The anthers fa) above the stigma (6). Ovary (f).
This insignificant little herb ranges over most of the
United States. It blooms from May to June.
Wister's Coral Root, C. Wisteriana, Many-
Flowered Coral Root, C. muUiflora, and Striped
Coral Root, C. striata, are much the same, but larger,
with slightly more showy lips.
13
t
^A
f
PLATE XIII. Life Sue
Coral-root. Corallorhtta corallorhisa
PLATE XIV
A
I.ADIKS' TRESSES
Gyros/arliys ccrniia (Spirant lies ccniua)
B
GRASS- LEAVED LADIES' TRESSES
Gyroslachys praecox
Small-Flowered Coral Root, C. odontorliiza, is
much smaller.
Crested Coral Root, Hexalcclris aphyllus, is a large
Southern, purple-brown genus much like these last.
Large Twayblade, Lcptorchis liliijoUa, an early sum-
mer orchid, has showy, purplish -green flowers, in a ter-
minal raceme, with two large, bright leaves from the root.
It flourishes east of the Mississippi.
Loesel's Twaybl.ade, L. Locsclii, is a smaller, more
Northern species.
Broad-Lipped Twayblade, Listcra conva/larioidcs,
Heart-Leaved Twayblade, L. cordaia, and Southern
Twayblade, L. australis, have small flowers with lips,
long in proportion, and bear their two leaves opposite at
the centre of their stems. They grow in woods and bogs
from the Northern States southward.
plate XIV, a
Ladies' Tresses, Gyrostachys ccrnua (S piranihes cer-
nua). Root. — Fleshy, forked. Stem. — b'-2^' high,
simple. Leaves. — Grass-like, turning above to pointecl
bracts. Flowers. — White or yellowish, fragrant; de-
flexed in a twisted, terminal, bracted spike. Perianth. —
Of four divisions. The upper sepal connected with the
two arching petals. The lip crinkled. Column (r). —
Arched, bearing the anthers (a) at the back. The stigma
(5) has a beak which covers the anther. Ovary (0).
A dainty little plant blooming in meadows and swamps,
from August to October, east of the Mississippi. It has a
lily-of-the-valley like fragrance. Its plaited appearance
gives it its common name.
plate XIV, B
Grass-Leaved Ladies' Tresses, G. praecox. Root,
Stem, Leaves. — Much as above, but smaller and more
slender. Flowers. — Like G. cernua, but smaller and in
a more spiral spike. Perianth and Column. — As above.
This plant grows, in late summer, from New York
southward.
Hooded Ladies' Tresses, G. roDianzoffiaiia, Wide-
Leaved Ladies' Tresses, G./'/aH/a^i^'/Hca, and Fragrant
14
I2~~J~ 'C5
HLATE XIV Reduced about « from Life Siw
A. Ladies' Tresses. Gyrostackys ctrnua
B. Grais-leaved Ladies' Tresses. Gyrostackys praecox
PLATE XV
ARKTHISA
.1 relli u.sa bulhosa
Ladies' Tresses, G. odorata, are described by their
names.
Little Ladies' Tresses, G. simplex, and Slender
Ladies' Tresses, G. gracilis, are smaller and have 2-3
early fading root-leaves and later only bracts.
Ca-lypso, Calypso bulbosa. Root. — A bulb. Stem. —
Simple, 3'-6' high. Leaves. — One, roundish with a
heart-shaped base. Flower. — Solitary, terminal, showy,
variegated purple, pink and yellow. Perianth. — Of
linear, erect or spreading sepals and petals, the lip sac-
shaped, drooping, with a patch of yellow wool. Column.
— Petal-hke above, with a lid-like anther above the
stigma.
A fascinating little nymph who appears in early sum-
mer, in bogs, from Labrador to Vermont and west to
California and Arizona. At first sight it resembles a
small lady's-slipper.
Arethusa, Arethusa bulbosa. Root. — A bulb. Stem.
— Simple, 5'-io' high, rather stout, set with bracts.
Leaves. — Solitary, linear, appearing after the flower.
Flower. — Solitary, terminal, large, showy, rose-purple.
Perianth. — Of oval sepals and petals, erect or arched
over the column. The lip is notched, fringed, streaked,
and crested with yellow or white, hairy ridges. Column
(C). — Petal-like, winged and curved above with the
anther (a) and stigma (.?), which are borne on its lower
face. Ovary (0).
This dainty orchid, surprised in its native bogs, in
May or June, reminds one of a startled fawn, by its
two erect, ear-like sepals. It ranges from Newfound-
land to South Carolina and west to Indiana; but ow-
ing to its inveterate enemy, the tlower-pickcr, it has
become rather rare.
Helleborine, Epipactis viridiflora, is a stout herb,
i°-2° high, with ovate, clasping leaves and a bracted
raceme of greenish-purple or yellow flowers. It has an
undulating lip and pointed sepals and petals. It blooms
near Toronto and in western New York in July and Au-
gust.
15
PLATE XV Life Site
Aretbu^a, Arelkusa bulbosa
PLATE XVI
CRASS PIXK
Liinoiloruiu tuberosum (Calopogoii pulchclliis)
Crane-Fly Orchis, Tipiilaria uiiijo/ia, is a rather
rare little summer orchid, with purplish-green, long-
spurred, raccmed blossoms. It Ijiears one leaf after the
flowers.
Putty-Root, Adam and Eve, A plectrum spicatiim, is
a Western spring orchid, with rather large, yellowish-
brown and purple flowers and an autumnal leaf.
PLATE XVI
Grass-Pink, Calopogon, Limodorum tuberosum (Calo-
pogon pulchellus) . Root. — A round, solid bulb. Stem.
— Slender, simple, i°-i3° high. Leaf. — (3ne, grass-
like. Flowers. — Showy, in a few-flowered, terminal
raceme, rose-purple. Perianth. — Of ovate sepals and
petals, and an erect, pale-pink lip, with a tuft of yellow
wool. Column (.4). — Petal-like above, winged, spread-
ing horizontally. The anther {a) is attached to the back
of the column. The stigma {s) is beneath. Ovary (o).
This dainty plant waves its blossoms among the tall
grasses of the wet marshes, in June and July, from New-
foundland to Florida and west to Minnesota. This
orchid's peculiarity is an ovary which is not twisted, so
consequently, the lip is on the upper instead of on the
lower side of the flower.
Rattlesnake Plantain, Peramium repens (Goodyera
repens), is a small orchid, with a rosette of ovate, green
and white blotched leaves at the base of the stem, and a
one-sided spike of small, greenish-white flowers, with a
sac-shaped lip.
Downy Rattlesnake Plantain, P. pubesccns, is
woolly, with a thicker spike (not one-sided).
These two range on the Atlantic coast and west to
Minnesota.
Menzies' Rattlesnake Plantain, P. Menzicsii, is
sometimes without the white mottling. It has a swelling,
pointed lip (not sac-shaped), and the spike is somewhat
one-sided. It grows in Canada and on the Western coast.
These all bloom in July and August and are insignifi-
cant except for their showy leaves.
Showy Orchis, Orchis speclabilis. Root. — Fibrous.
Stem. — Stout, iive-angled, 4'-: 2' high. Leaves. — Large,
16
f
Pt.ATR XVI Kedocwl abont H from Lift Slir
Grass-piok, Limetiorum tuberoium
PLATE XVII
Ki)Si; I'OC.OMA
Poj^onia opli io gloss o ides
two from near the base of the stem, obovate, clammy.
Flowers. — Showy, in a 3-6 flowered, terminal raceme,
violet-purple, pink and white. Perianth. — Sepals joined
in an arch, petals beneath, lip whitish and spurred.
Column. — Violet at the back, with the stigma between
the two anthers.
This is the earliest of the orchids. It grows in rich
woods in the eastern half of the continent.
Small Round-Leaved Orchis, O. rohmdijolia, is
more slender, with smaller rose-colored and white flowers
and one oval leaf. It blooms in early summer, in the
damp woods of Canada and the Northern States.
White Adder's Mouth, Achroanthes monophylla, and
Green Adder's Mouth, A. uni folia, are two small
orchids with insignificant flowers and one roundish leaf.
They bloom in woods in July. Usually the first in the
North, the second in the South also.
PLATE XVII
Rose Pogonia, Snake-Mouth, Pogonia ophioglos-
soides. Root. — Branching. Stem. — Simple, 8'-i 5' high
Leaves. — 1-2, pale, lanceolate, erect. Flowers. — Large,
solitary or in pairs, terminal, nodding, having a leaf-like
bract beneath, pale rose-pink. Perianth. — With oval,
equal sepals and petals. The lip fringed, crested, and
streaked with yellow and purple. Column (.4 and B). —
Club-shaped, with a lid-like anther (a) capping the
stigma (s). Ovary (0).
A dainty, fragrant flower growing in swamps and
meadows with the wild Cranberry and the Calopogon.
It blooms in June or July.
Spreading Pogonia, P. divaricala, is somewhat the
same, but larger; the sepals are linear and dark-colored
and longer than the flesh-colored, lanceolate petals. We
find it in swamps in July.
Nodding Pogonia, P. trianthophora, is smaller, with
little, ovate, alternate leaves and pale-purple, drooping,
axillary flowers. It appears in late summer.
Whorled Pogonia, P. verticillata, bears its leaves in
a whorl, above which is the drooping flower, with its
17
f-A
"f B
( 1 - 1 -ot
PLATK XVII. Reduced abont '\ from Life Riir
Rose Pogonia. Pogonia ophUglottoides
PLATE XVIII
A
LONC.-BRACTKI) ORCHIS
l/ahiiiiirid braclvata
B
TALI, LEAFY GREEN ORCHIS
Ilahenaria hyperborea
c
INTERMEHIATE BOG ORCHIS
llabt'iiaria mctliii
long, dark-purple sepals and oval, greenish-yellow petals.
This appears in May or June.
These four varieties range east of the Mississippi.
Smaller Whorled Pogonia, P. affinis, is similar, but
smaller, frequently with two greenish-yellow flowers, with
equal sepals and petals. It is a rare local plant, bloom-
ing in June in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey.
PLATE XVIII, A
Long-Bracted Orchis, Hahcnaria hracteata. Root.
— Fibrous. Stem. — Simple, 6'-2° high. Leaves. —
Lanceolate or oval, alternate, turning to long bracts be-
neath each flower. Flowers (a). — Small, greenish, in a
loose-flowered, terminal raceme. Perianth. — With oval
spreading sepals and narrow petals. A much longer lip,
with a small spur. Column (/)). — With two anthers {s)
above the stigma {p).
None of the green orchids are showy. This is one of
the least insignificant. It grows in woods and meadows
from New Brunswick to the Rockies and south to North
Carolina. We find it all summer.
plate xviri, B
Tall Leafy Green Orchis, H. hypcrhorca. Root. —
Fibrous. Stem. — Simple, 8'-^° high. Leaves. — Lan-
ceolate, alternate. Flowers (</). — Small, in a terminal
raceme, yellowish-green Perianth. — With ovate sepals
and petals, and a lanceolate lip, with a spur of the same
length. Column. — Anthers above the stigma.
This little orchid grows across the continent, north from
New Jersey, Colorado and Oregon, from May to August.
I found it in the Yellowstone Park.
PLATE xviii, c
Intermediate Bog Orchis, H. media. Root. —
Fleshy. Stem. — Simple. Leaves. — Lanceolate, acute.
Flowers (c). — Small, in a densely flowered terminal
raceme, greenish or purplish. Perianth. — Like the last,
only the spur is much longer than the lip. Column. —
As above.
This orchid resembles H. hyperborea. It ranges from
i8
f'^
f
HLATE XVIII Reduced «bout H from Life Siie
A. Long-bracted Orchis. Habenaria bracttata
B. Tall Leafy Green Orchis, Habenaria kyperborta
C. Intermediate Bog Orchis. Habenaria media
PLATE XIX
A
C.RKKN WOOD ORCHIS
Ifiihiiuiriii iliivcllala (Habcniiria Iridnitata)
B
RAGGED-FRINCKD ORCHIS
Ilahcnaria laccra
June to August from Quebec to New York (according to
Miss Nilcs). I found it in the Yosemite Valley, Cali-
fornia.
Tall White Bog Orchis, H. dilatata, is much like
these, save that the flowers are white. It grows all
summer in the northern half of the United States and
Canada.
Tliree more Northern summer orchids are: First,
Round-Leaved Orchis, H. orhiculata, with its greenish-
white, recurved sepals. Second, Hooker's Orchis, H.
Hookeriana, with its lanceolate, greenish-yellow, drooping
sepals. Both have long raccmed scapes, springing from
two round, flat leaves. Third, Small Bog Orchis, H.
ohtusata, with yellowish-green flowers and a single leaf.
Two small Southern summer orchids are: Southern
White Orchis, H. nivea, with long-spurred flowers and
glass-like leaves; and Southern Yellow Orchis, H.
Integra, with dense spikes of orange-yellow flowers and
lanceolate leaves.
plate XIX, A
Green Wood Orchis, H. clavellala {H. tridentata).
Stem. — Angled, 8'-i8' high. Leaves. — One, large,
oblanceolate, several bracts above. Flowers. — Small, in
short, loose racemes, greenish. Perianth. — Of ovate
sepals and petals, with a three-toothed lip and a very
long, incurved, club-shaped spur. Column. — Anthers
(a) above the stigma (.v), which has three club-like ap-
pendages.
This very insignificant flower is perhaps the most
common of the genus. It blooms east of the Missis-
sippi in July and August.
Another much like this, with a shorter spur and more
leafy stem, is Tubercled Orchis, H. flava (H.
virescens).
The names of many of these orchids have been changed
so often, and they seem so much alike, that it is rather
difficult to identify them. The insignificance of these
flowers causes the layman to exclaim, when told that
they are orchids; as the general idea, of this family,
seems to be a gorgeous air-plant.
\
9-/ -03
PLATE XIX. Rsduccd 'i Irom Life Sim
A. Green Wood Orchis, Habenaria clavellatta
K. Ragged Fringed Orchis, Habenaria laetra
PLATE XX
A
WIMTK-FRIXCF.I) ORCHIS
llahciiaria hhpliurit^/o/iis
n
vi:i.i.o\v-rRi.\Gi:i) orchis
Iliibenaria ciliaris
PLATE XIX, B
Ragged Fringed Orchis, H. lacera. Stem. — Si mplc,
i°-2° high. Leaves. — Lanceolate, alternate, becoming
smaller above. Flowers. — Small, in a terminal raceme,
greenish-yellow. Perianth. — The sepals ovate, the upper
one being round. The petals linear. The lip showy,
three-parted, deeply fringed, with a short spur. Col-
umn. — The anthers (a) divided by the stigma (c).
Ovary (b).
This is the prettiest of the green orchids, the deeply
fringed lips giving the raceme a peculiarly feathery effect.
It blooms east of the Mississippi in June and July.
PLATE XX, A
White Fringed Orchis, H. blephari glottis. Root. —
Small, fibrous. Stem. — i°-2h° high. Leaves. — Lanceo-
late, the upper ones smaller. Flowers. — Pure white,
showy, in a terminal raceme. Perianth. — Sepals round.
Petals smaller, toothed. Lip lanceolate, fringed, with a
very long spur. Column (C). — The stigma (5) dividing
the anthers {a). Ovary (0).
The loveliness of this flower almost takes away one's
breath. It frequents midsummer marshes, ranging from
Newfoundland south to North Carolina and west to
Minnesota.
Cream Fringed Orchis, H. holopetala, is much the
same, but pale yellow, with a less fringed lip and entire
petals. It is probably a hybrid of the foregoing and fol-
lowing varieties.
plate XX, B
Yellow Fringed Orchis, H. ciliaris. Root, Stem,
Leaves. — The same as in H. blephariglottis. Flowers.
A little larger than the White-Fringed Orchis, with a
more deeply fringed lip and of a bright orange-yellow.
Very showy. Perianth and Column (C). — As above.
This gorgeous flower grows in swamps with the White-
Fringed Orchis. Its flaming torches doubtless attract
the necessary insects, but unfortunately, they also guide
the ruthless flower-picker, to the inevitable doom of the
variety.
'ifc
1
IM.ATE XX. Rednced ir, from I.ife Sii«
A. White Fringed Orchis. Habenarta blephariglottus
B. Yellow Fringed Orchis. Habtnarta ciliarh
PLATE XXI
LARGE IHRPLK-IKINGKI) ORCHIS
ilabenaria grandiflora
Crested Yellow Orchis, H. cristata, is much the
same, but smaller, with deep-orange flowers.
Prairie White Fringed Orchis, H. leucophaca, is a
larger variety, with fragrant, white flowers sometimes
tinged with green. The lip is divided in three parts and
is much fringed. It blooms on moist prairies in July
from western New York to the Mississippi. It is very
showy and beautiful.
The flowers of this group remind one of tiny dancers
poised for the ballet, or a swarm of fairies ready for flight.
PLATE XXI
Large Purple Fringed Orchis, H. granJifiora.
Root. — Fleshy, fibrous. Stem. — Stout, i°-5° high.
Leaves. — Oval or lanceolate. Flowers. — In a long,
terminal, thickly flowered raceme, \ery showy, white,
pale pink, or deep rose-purple. Perianth. — Upper sepals
and petals connected, erect. Petals more or less toothed.
Lip divided in three fan-shaped parts, deeply fringed.
Column .4). — Anthers (a) divided by the stigma (b).
The largest and most beautiful of all this genus is the
Purple-Fringed Orchis. It grows in rich woods and
meadows through Canada west to Michigan and south
to North Carolina. When we surprise a group shining
through our dark, Northern woods in July or August,
their feathery loveliness is like a touch of the tropics.
If we could be content to admire them there and leave
them untouched, we might have them with us for many
generations to come.
Smaller Purple Fringed Orchis, H. psycodes, is
much the same, with shorter fringe. It blooms with the
larger variety, but slightly later.
Fringeless Purple Orchis, H. pcramoena, is another
near relative, with a toothed instead of a fringed hp.
It ranges in summer, from New York south to Virginia
and west to Illinois.
Andrew's Rose- Purple Orchis, H. Andrewseii, has
sepals and petals much like the White-Fringed, and a lip
like the Purple-Fringed Orchis, parted and more deeply
cut. It appears in summer, in Massachusetts and Ver-
mont. This is probably a hybrid of H. lacera and H.
2-^-7- '03-
J'LATE XXI Reduced V, from Utc Site
Large Purple Kringed Orchis. Habenaria grandi/lora
PLATE XXII
MOCCASIN ilowi:r
Cypripcdinm acaiilc
psycodes. It is rare and local, but numerous in certain
haunts.
The most showy and beautiful group of the orchids
which grow in this country, however, are the Cypripe-
diums, with their sac-shaped lips. The most common
of these is :
plate xxii
The Moccasin Flower, Pixk Lady's Slipper,
Cypripedium acaulc. Root. — Tufted, fibrous. Stem.
— A simple scape 6'-i2' high. Leaves. — Two, from the
root, somewhat hairy, elliptic, large. Flower. — Large,
solitary, nodding from the top of the scape, rose-pink and
brown. Perianth. — Sepals lanceolate, purple-brown and
greenish, the two lower united. The petals narrow and
longer. The lip very large, pendulous, shoe or sac-
shaped, deep rose-pink, veined. Column (.4). — With an
anther (ft) on each side of the large stigma (c). A large
petal-like, sterile stamen spreads over them. Ovary {d).
The nodding Moccasin hangs its heavy head above
the fragrant pine needles in sandy or rocky woods. In
its native haunts it is irresistibly lovely, for each plant
is perfect in itself. When it is gathered and bunched it
loses half its charm, although it is too beautiful to be
altogether spoiled. Sometimes the lip is white, the sepals
and petals yellow, and the leaves a lighter green. This
is an albino form, but it appears so frecjuently that it
nearly amounts to a separate variety.
Ram's Head Lady's Slipper, C. arielinum. Root.
— Tufted, fibrous. Stem. — Simple, 8'-i 2' high. Leaves.
— 3-4, elliptic. Flowers. — Solitary, nodding, smaller
than others of this genus. Perianth. — Sepals longer
than the lip, lanceolate, greenish-brown. Petals linear.
Lip cone-shaped, red and white, veiny, prolonged at the
apex into a distorted spur somewhat resembling a ram's
head. Column. — Much as C. acaule.
This is the rarest, one of the smallest, and surely the
oddest of the genus, but will, I fear, soon be extinct.
When we find it the day is marked with a red letter. It
ranges from May to .\ugust, through the cold, damp
woods of Canada and the Northern States.
PLATE XXII Reduced 4 from Life Si»e
Moccassin Flower. Cypripidium acaule
PLATE XXIII
vi:r.i.()\v i..\i>v's slipper
Cypripaiiiim liirsiilinii (Cypri prdiiim piihrsccns)
PLATE XXIII
Large Yellow Lady's Slipper, C. hirsulum (C.
pubescens). Root. — Same as previous varieties. Stem.
— Leafy, i°-2° high. Leaves. — Oval, slightly hirsute.
Flower. — Large, solitary, terminal, and nodding. Peri-
anth. — With oval sepals, the two lower joined. Petals
linear and twisted, all yellowish-green or brownish-
purple. Lip much inflated, chrome yellow. Column
(A). — Much as other varieties. The sterile stamen (c)
yellow with red dots. Anthers (a). Stigma (b).
The bright flower of the Yellow Moccasin appears in
boglands or damp woods, from Nova Scotia west to
Minnesota and south to Alabama, in May to July. It
is not cjuite so large as C. acaule, but larger than the Ram's
Head Slipper. It is not common — I have found it only
once ; but my quest was well rewarded then, for the deli-
cate, balloon-like sac is very lovely.
Small Yellow L.\dy's Slipper, C. parviflorum. Root,
Stem, Leaves. — Much as above. Flower. — Smaller,
fragrant. Perianth. — With bright yellow, hairy-lined
lip, marked with purple or crimson. Column. — As
above.
This variety often intergrades with C. hirsutum. It
may be a simple form of the latter. It grows in bogs,
damp woods, and on hillsides in the mountains, from
Newfoundland to Georgia and occasionally out to the
Pacific, from May to July.
Prairie Moccasin Flower, Small White Lady's
Slipper, C. candidum. Stem. — 6'-i2' high. Leaves.
— 3-4, elliptic or lanceolate. Flowers.— Fragrant,
generally solitary, terminal, white and brown. Perianth.
— Much like C. hirsutum, with a white lip lined with
purple stripes. Column. — As above.
The White Lady's Slipper is much like the yellow.
It ranges in May to July, from New York to the Rockies.
John Muir found it, or a variety much like it, in the Yo-
semite Valley. This, together with the Small Yellow
Lady's Slipper, is the only fragrant cypripcdium we
have.
Although the Pacific coast is rich in beautiful flowers,
this white moccasin is the only cypripedium it can boast.
23
^7
PLATE XXIII. Life Slie
Yellow Lady's Slipper. Cypripediuin hinutum
PLATE XXIV
SHOWY lady's SLII'PKR
Cyprifrdium rci^huic (Cypri prdiuni spniahilc)
PLATE XXIV
Showy Lady's Slipper, C. reginac (C. spectabile).
Root. — As above. Stem. — Stout, leafy, i°-2° high.
Leaves. — ElHptic, deeply veined. Flowers. — 1-4, large,
showy, terminal, white and pink. Perianth. — With
roundish, white sepals, the two lower joined and narrower.
Petals white. Lip large, veiny, white or deeply stained
with rose or wine-color above. Column (r). — Much as
in C. hirsutum. Anthers (a). Stigma (s). Ovary (0).
This plant ranges from Nova Scotia south to Georgia
and west to Minnesota from June to September. It is
by far the most beautiful of our native orchids; perhaps,
if one could fill that place, the most beautiful of all our
wild flowers. I have only had the good fortune to see it
once or twice, and never in its native haunts; but even so,
I was well repaid. The botanists have done well to crown
this beauty, for a queen she is indeed. But unfor-
tunately a queen in e.xile, for her admirers have been so
busy stripping her of her favors that she is forced to
hide in remote swamps and deep woods, and even there
she is in danger from their too assiduous devotion.
Oh, good friend, if you find her, stop and make
obeisance, but do not tear her from her retreat ! If you
must pluck a few blossoms, leave many behind for the
sake of the future of this most charming American
bcautv.
Pl-ATE XXIV. Reduced about % from Life Site
Showy Lady's Slipper, Cypripedium reginea
